Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. It occurs due to the formation of plaques within the coronary arteries over time, leading to decreased blood flow to specific organs including brain and heart muscle. Under certain circumstances, this decreased blood flow can cause symptoms of transient ischemic attack, calf pain or angina. If the blockage of the arteries is more significant, it can lead to damage to the brain, legs or heart muscle itself and can be fatal.
One method of treatment of (cardio)vascular disease and avoidance of further tissue damage is through invasive elimination of the plaque. This is typically done through invasive surgery. An alternative approach is through balloon angioplasty, which involve accessing the vessels using catheterization. Arterial stents may also be placed during this procedure. When the nature of the plaque precludes treatment by angioplasty, the plaques may be bypassed by grafting new vessels around the areas of plaque during vascular or cardiac surgery procedure. In some patients, neither angioplasty nor bypass surgery is possible, such as when the advanced age or poor health of the patient precludes such treatments or when the plaque is not amenable to either therapy. In such cases, the patients must attempt to control the disease through medical management such as through the use of medication. Because the surgical treatment of arterial plaques is invasive, the treatment is associated with the risk on complications, and is not suitable for all patients, a less invasive method for reducing or eliminating plaque formations in the arteries is therefore needed.
Non-invasive methods for treatment of unwanted material in tissues and vessels, typically cardiac vessels have been suggested for instance in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,657,760, 5,590,657, and 5,524,620. However, these methods are not suitable for the reduction of plaques, let alone in the vascular system.
Hence, there is a need for an accurate, reliable system for obviating and reducing vascular plaques with a planned and controlled treatment therapy.